Obituary of Joseph Baj

Joseph Baj was the oldest of 7 children. He was born just before the start of World War II in a corner of Poland that became occupied by Germany during his childhood, which later became the eastern block of communism. He married Maria, a childhood sweetheart, when he was 25 and left just in time not to be drawn into the Korean War. He was able to emigrate to the United States with a few dollars in his pocket and the clothes on his back. Though he knew no English, he managed to learn English and get work at local factories. Through hard work and hardships, he and Maria lovingly raised 5 children in Queens NY among the Polish American community. Through ascending opportunities of different positions in the mechanical engineering field, Joe secured a position as a machinist in the NYC Department of Sanitation where he was able to save the city millions of dollars by engineering a solution to a fleet of trucks that had a faulty mechanism. He lived a fulfilling life as an integral member of the local Queens Polish community before transitioning to retirement in Upstate NY where he lived happily for over 25 years. For those who knew him, he was a man of few words, quiet, thoughtful and armed with a sharp wit at the right moment. He was always fixing things, always tinkering. Engineering wasn't his career, but it was the way his mind worked. He passed quietly in his sleep on Monday, November 24th and is survived by his loving wife of 63 years, 5 children, their spouses and 9 grandchildren.